I was sitting outside the Grand Palace, practicing my Thai with some young ladies. What those ladies did for a living shall remain unsaid, but they were friendly and talkative.
The gates to the palace were open, and a policeman was standing right in front of us with his back to the road. The streets became quiet, with no traffic moving. A car with flashing orange lights on the roof appeared in the gate, and the policeman did a hand movement to us. I didn’t understand what it meant but the others immediately stood up.
- Sit down! said the girl next to me. This was the first English she had spoken.
Uncertain, I sat down. Now I could see that everyone else was standing, all around the Grand Palace.
- Sit down!! said the girl.
This time I took it as a hint to get up. Her English may not have been perfect, but she was at least in the neighbourhood of what she meant to say.
- Sit down, said the girl again with approval.
A motorcade appeared from the palace, passing us swiftly. People stood in silent attendance. When it had left I did what the others did. I sat down.
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August 24th, 2006 at 8:25 am
Interesting how they dont speak Thai with us farangs when something urgent is on the way. I have such situations often when information has to be passed quickly - they start to speak Thenglish even if I would understand clearly in Thai what its about.
August 24th, 2006 at 10:40 pm
And if we don’t understand they repeat it louder and stare as us.
August 24th, 2006 at 11:53 pm
so I assume it was some dignitary…one time
I was in BKK they closed off the entire Rama IV,
and no one was allowed on the pedestrian cross
bridges…a motorcade of cars w/flashing lights
raced by, I guess, but “who” it was I don’t know…
could have been a royal, or the PM, I suppose…
August 25th, 2006 at 12:14 am
Since we were told to stand I assume it was royalty. I don’t think they demand that for mere politicians.